Backpacking Philippines: Subic Duty Free Shopping at Royal Subic Mall and Puregold, Are They Worth It?

Subic Duty Free Shopping at Royal Subic Mall and Puregold, Are They Worth It?

The recent visit to Balanga, Bataan was capped by an unplanned visit to Subic since the lead vehicle in the 3 car convoy didn't see the exit to NLEX along SCTEx due to heavy rain and thus just decided to head straight to do some dutyfree shopping in Subic instead.

Royal Subic Mall, picture taken while raining. beside it is Puregold DutyFree

Herewith is Tutubi's review of dutyfree shopping in Subic to answer the question: Is Dutyfree shopping worth it?

It depends on the buyer. If the shopper knows the prices of the goods
before going there all the way from Manila, it's a bargain otherwise
she's just wasting her money for the items you can have at the same or
slightly more expensive price in Manila.

Tutubi found out the price of Spam Lite (yeah, forget original Spam,
even Spam with less Sodium for they're too salty) at Royal Subic is just
the same at Walter Mart and SM but Snickers chocolate bars are sold with
a PhP7 difference than the mentioned malls.

If you're looking for local items, why bother going there to buy those
things?

Infant milk formula, though a tad cheaper, but not all brands are on
sale like Nan One HW for hypoallergenic milk formulas for sensitive babies like Tutubi, Jr.

Havaianas flip-flops prices are PhP100 lower than Manila's malls, that's
according to Tutubi's peer who loves those expensive footwear from
Brazil (Tutubi prefers the low priced flip-flops at Munoz Market, dirt
cheap and not heartbreaking should he lose or break one)

The only reason people should go duty-free shopping is when the products
they're looking for are not available at the local malls or hard-to-find
items.

The best reason not to go there: Buy Philippine-made products, it
creates jobs and helps the economy. Discard the colonial-mentality that
everything imported is better than local products. It's not always the case.

Lastly, try to internalize this mantra: Buy not what you need, not what
you want. What you don't really need, however cheap, is expensive!

Notes on Subic Duty Free Shopping:

Credit cards are accepted as well as US dollar notes for payment. BancNet ATM cards can also be used to pay for your purchases at Puregold Duty Free Mall

Royal Subic Mall
Mall hours: open from 10am to 7pm (Monday - Thursday)
9am to 7pm (Friday - Sunday)
Tel. No: +63.47.252.3015; +63.47.252.6115

Tip: also in Subic Petron gas station is a Nike Factory store (another nike factory outlet is in the Shell gas station on the southbound lane of NLEX)

Labels: Central Luzon, Malls, Shopping, Subic, Zambales

posted by GingGoy @ 9:30 PM,

19 Comments:

At Oct 11, 2009, 10:48:00 AM, Sidney said...: Since I don't like spending money..you will not see me there! ;-)
At Oct 12, 2009, 12:42:00 AM, kathangisip said...: A foreign visitor of ours has been wanting to go there. He said its famous abroad, but I recommended the filipino store Kultura to him, and he found lots of Filipino, and cool stuff to bring home to his land.
At Oct 12, 2009, 8:04:00 AM, bw said...: most of the so called imported goods are made in Asia anyways not like the old days. But you're right - why spend time and gas to go to Subic when at the end, it will even out with the slightly expensive prices in Manila.
At Oct 12, 2009, 12:05:00 PM, dodong flores 도동 플로오리스 said...: I agree with you. Buying locally-made products can give more jobs and better income to fellow Filipinos. As for the concept that imported products could always turn out better as compared to local, I disagree just like you. One example is that disposable battery cell branded Eveready. In my experience, the Philippine made is more stronger and last long as compared to its counterpart coming from Singapore...
At Oct 12, 2009, 2:28:00 PM, Unknown said...: i was at the Royal Subic Mall one weekend in September, and you're right, prices are not much different from supermarkets in Manila.
At Oct 13, 2009, 2:26:00 PM, carlotta1924 said...: the times i've been to subic i never set foot in the duty-free stores. i'd rather go sightseeing. but if there will ever come a time that i would enter one, yeah, it would be to get something that's hard to find here in manila.
At Oct 13, 2009, 5:30:00 PM, aceychan said...: ahahahah. i don't like it there. there's a nice small korean store with interesting goods near it, though. :)
At Oct 14, 2009, 8:54:00 AM, Photo Cache said...: Not much of a shopper, chaka kuripot ako eh, so that's probably the last place to see me, unless I go there to while the time away.
At Oct 15, 2009, 11:32:00 AM, GingGoy said...: Sidney, yeah better avoid temptations but i have no choice...did buy some small items as pasalubong though

kathangisip, glad you showed the foreigner the right way, Kultura is a nice concept and good locations in malls

bw, yeah, it depends on what you're buying and if you really need them

dodong, that eveready battery news is new to me hmmm

luna, not much different but proabably it's only the mind you bought if from a dutyfree shop for that PX fix

carlotta, i wasted my time there but i have no choice but tag along with my officemates

ace, korean stores and restaurants are everywhere here...hehe

photo cache, kuripot is not the term, try practical :P
At Oct 16, 2009, 10:10:00 PM, bing said...: am not a fan. maybe because i am not a shopaholic. an officemate with a sister working there says it's not worth it.
At Oct 18, 2009, 8:05:00 AM, tin-tin said...: i am not a shopper. hehe ;p
At Oct 19, 2009, 11:15:00 AM, GingGoy said...: bing, yeah, probably just the mental boost that you went dutyfree shopping hehe

tin-tin, good to know...lots of sale expected now Christmas season's nearing
At Mar 24, 2012, 11:36:00 PM, Anonymous said...: I am just wondering why some people seriously try to make the country into a tourist destination while others are trying to be nationalistic and fanatic. In today world it is just silly to believe that if you buy local goods you will do the countries economy a favor. Even Filipino products, if not made in cottage industries are belonging mostly to global companies and not to Filipinos. How silly it sounds to say" just buy an owner jeep, its made in the Philippines and not a Mercedes Benz" so you support the local industry. How about some nicely colored (with all kind of cancer causing chemicals)stuff or may be some banka instead of a foreign made yacht. I am sure the writer drives a foreign car, eats regularly in a foreign restaurant, wants to wear foreign made clothes and hates foreigners. Its fun in the Philippines! Buy local stuff if it is good and hygienically produced because it tastes and is cheaper but don't damn the "foreign" goodies, and don't be Hippocratic!
At Mar 25, 2012, 3:39:00 PM, GingGoy said...: anonymous, so you think you know me, huh? i drive a car, japanese brand locally assembled, i don't like to eat out, i buy from Jollijeep and prefer "home cooked meals"...and I don't have foreigners, i wonder how you got to the conclusion just by reading one post... :(
At Mar 25, 2012, 9:00:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Hi
I was sure you may answer. Unfortunately you answered also as I expected. Not one word to what I wrote but only about yourself, sayang. And I said likely you hate and not to have-don't know where your mind goes hehehe. I believe the people should start using their intellectual capabilities instead of their emotions. It would work out for the betterment of the country.
At Mar 29, 2012, 9:49:00 PM, GingGoy said...: haha you're not the first troll i've encountered so i'm not going to feed you anymore. i dont engage in useless debates using a premise that i "hate foreigers" which is actually not found anywhere in this blog. sayang lang oras ko. i have my own time to help this country unlike you. and i dont know what you mean by Hippocratic. is that related to the medical profession? :)
At Oct 6, 2012, 3:03:00 PM, Anonymous said...: can we use pesos instead of dollars or credit cards when buying in duty free subic?
At Oct 14, 2012, 10:47:00 PM, tomazieee said...: here they come again expect the unexpected BIG BIG SALE on our Anniversary Sale Celebrations, come visit and enjoy shopping at Royal Duty Free Shops on NOVEMBER 08, 2012. EXPECT MORE PAY LESS... mall hours open daily from 09:00 AM til 07:00 PM, See you there.
At Oct 14, 2012, 10:52:00 PM, tomazieee said...: here we come again, watch out for our Anniversary Sale Celebrations this coming November 08, 2012... BIG BIG SALE only at ROYAL DUTY FREE SHOPS, INC.expect more pay less. Mall opens at 09:00 AM til 07:00 PM daily. See you there

Subic Duty Free Shopping at Royal Subic Mall and Puregold, Are They Worth It?

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